You Are Here: Home » Blog » General » Michigan Woman Faces Jail Time for Garden Instead of Lawn

Michigan Woman Faces Jail Time for Garden Instead of Lawn

Posted by: Posted date: July 11, 2011 In: General | comment : 1

Time Magazine is reporting that a Michigan woman has been charged with a misdemeanor offense and faces 93 days in jail for planting a vegetable garden in her front yard.

Like many of us, Julie Bass, of Oak Park, enjoys organic vegetables but was looking to save money by planting her own garden. She opted to plant the organized, neatly arranged raised beds in the front yard instead of the back to encourage neighborhood involvement. “We thought it’d be really cool to do it so the neighbors could see. The kids love it. The kids from the neighborhood all come and help,” she said.

It’s her own property and Bass should be able to plant a garden where she chooses, but local authorities have decided otherwise, citing local codes that require front lawns to have “suitable” live plantings.

Perhaps it’s time we all start planting gardens on our front lawns. Then the practice becomes “suitable”, no?

Read more: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/07/08/woman-faces-jail-time-for-planting-organic-vegetable-garden/#ixzz1RqZ7tyz3

About The Author

Number of Entries : 90

Related posts

  • Diane M Olson Schmidt

    Its totally outragous to have lawns instead of vegetable gardens, as vegetable gardens in raised beds interplanted with annuals and perennials can look like a well tended perennial garden in the front yard. We need more vegetable gardens and less lawns as lawns will cost more dollars to maintain and use more resources and water as it will simply not be sustainable in the future and that future may be here as we are getting hotter weather more than ever.
    Diane LaceWing Gardening Services Milwaukee Wisconsin.

Scroll to top